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The Stars | October 11 - November 7, 2018

Astrology

Venus retrograde occurs this month, with the Sun transiting Venus-ruled Libra until Oct. 23. Symbolized by the scales, Libra encourages us to find the beauty of balance and peace through diplomacy. Venus corresponds to the emotional heart, as well as our appreciation of worth and personal finances. Venus initiates her retrograde in Scorpio. Challenged by a square to Mars, this aspect reveals potential for conflict in relationships involving love and money. Beware of temptations shrouded in seductive manipulations. The heart is vulnerable now. Engage only with those who are forthright in their intentions. Examining what arouses jealousy can give us insight into what we value and how much energy we are willing to devote to attain it. Relationships are on trial now. Rest assured that those that do not pass the tests of this retrograde were no longer meant for you.

Astronomy

Throughout the summer, four of the five visible planets could be seen after sunset. With Venus turning retrograde, the evening star has fallen from view. Jupiter remains bright in the southwestern sky at sunset, with Saturn overhead and Mars to the southeast. Between Jupiter and Saturn lies the constellation Scorpius, which will start to slip from view as the sun approaches. To spot the celestial Scorpion, first identify Jupiter, which appears before the stars after sunset. As the stars emerge, find the red star Antares to the east of the planet. One of the fixed stars of the ecliptic, Antares is the center star of three which form the Scorpion’s back. West of Antares, four stars in a descending line create the claws, while to the east, the constellation slopes sharply downward then swoops up to form the characteristic curve of the Scorpion’s tail. The tail terminates in the luminous band of the Milky Way.

~ Dawn Andreoni is a yoga teacher and astrologer currently practicing on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe.